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What's Next for Inflight Entertainment
Here's a glimpse of the hot trends you can look forward to in inflight entertainment.

DirecTV is already on a few airlines, but LiveTV, owned by JetBlue (and the company responsible for bringing you DirecTV) just announced plans to deliver international television live to over 500 commercial aircraft around the world. Passengers will be able to view global TV with their handheld devices via Wi-Fi, or through embedded inflight entertainment systems. LiveTV will launch with three to five channels of live sports and news on transatlantic flights, and additional regions will be added according to customer demands. This new feature should appease soccer fans everywhere.

Consumer electronics are driving portability and, in response, IFE manufacturers and software developers are working on seat-centric systems. This means a better interface design and a customized experience that is unique to each passenger. Panasonic is currently testing the eX3, a seat-back system that uses the Android OS and has touch-screen capabilities. The company has reduced content load time down to 15 days without connectivity (with connectivity, it's real time), which means current content availability. Common apps, such as instant messaging clients, Twitter, and Facebook have been incorporated into the system, and developers are able to create new apps relevant to air travelersa concierge service or ability to make restaurant reservations from the air, for example.

As Panasonic Avionics CEO Paul Margis put it, when designing the experience around the eX3 product, the company asked themselves: "What would you do differently if connected to the ground as opposed to just contained on the airplane?"

While seat-back entertainment is the current standard, it's possible that portable media players could replace this entirely. American Airlines just announced that it now offers Android-based Samsung tablets on 600 planes (currently in upper class only). It's a move that other airlines are consideringsome have even trialed iPads, but it seems that continual product launches from Apple are a hindrance, as is Apple's business model. About the airline's decision to offer tablets, IFE industry consultant Michael Childers said in an interview, "Basing a product line on an operating system rather than on a specific device seems to have much greater potential, as does using open source rather than proprietary technology."

Interactive projection technology is spurring some very interesting product development as well. Midas Media, a UK-based projection technology company, has been developing a holographic laser projection system for inflight entertainment and communication. Rear holographic projection allows interactive mediaInternet, gaming, video, satellite TVto display on any surface, like your tray table. Its Live Capture system brings the outdoors inside. Why not have real-time images of the city projected onto the airline walls during approach? Everyone can have a window seat.

Kirsten Cluthe is a contributing writer for various media outlets, including Connected Traveler for PCMag.com, mediabistro.com, and several blogs focused on travel, tech, business, and media. She began her career in Los Angeles, coordinating concert tours and recovering lost baggage for traveling musicians. When not in a window seat at 36,000 feet, she appreciates the view from the ground in Jersey City.
You can follow her on Twitter here: @kir
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